Sensitivity to common aeroallergens in asthma patients in Delhi-National Capital Region

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Skin prick test (SPT) is the “gold standard” in the assessment of sensitivity to inhalant allergens. SPT is performed with antigen extracts from India and evaluated according to the Standard Indian Guidelines. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine sensitivity by skin prick test in asthma patients in metropolitical city of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study of skin prick test with aeroallergens in asthma patients and their combination with clinical diagnosis. Two hundred asthma patients consisting of 81 (40.5%) males and 119 (59.5%) females with a mean age of 30.51 ± 9.85 years aged between 12 and 60 years were selected for study from Viswanathan Chest Hospital, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, Delhi, between 2017 and 2018. Fifty-eight different common aeroallergen tests were tested through skin prick test (SPT) in patients of bronchial asthma. The sensitivity of all common aeroallergens was analyzed by MS Excel 2010. RESULTS: A significant (2+ and above) skin-positive reaction against aeroallergens was found in 114 (57%) asthma patients. The younger adults aged 21-30 years were the foremost commonly affected group with 84 (43.5%). Among individual allergens, the most common aeroallergens showed a significant positive skin reaction, which were cockroaches 68 (34%) and moth 63 (32.5%), followed by mosquito 61 (30.5%), housefly 55 (27.5%), rice weevil 41 (20.5%), and house dust mite (HDM) 22 (11.0%). CONCLUSION: In the present study, we found that insects (cockroaches, housefly, mosquito, and rice weevil) and HDM are the most common skin sensitive aeroallergens in Delhi-NCR. The sensitization was the most common in the younger age group patients.